New-onset Blepharitis and Anti-TNF-Alpha Therapy in Patients with Crohn's Disease: A Case Series and Literature Review

Yael Weintraub*, Raffi Lev-Tzion, Jacob Ollech, Hagar Olshaker, Irit Rosen, Shlomi Cohen, David Varssano, Dror S. Shouval, Manar Matar

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNFα) medications are the most frequently used biologicals to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Little is known about the ocular side effects of this drug category. We present a case series of six young patients with Crohn disease (CD) and no previous ophthalmologic manifestations who developed blepharitis after commencing treatment with anti-TNFα therapy. Six otherwise healthy patients with CD, with no history of allergies or prior ocular complaints, developed blepharitis at a median of 7.5 months after the initiation of anti-TNFα therapy. All ophthalmic findings were treated topically. The ocular symptoms of two of the patients resolved shortly after discontinuation of the anti-TNFα treatment. The other four presented with relapsing-remitting symptoms. Blepharitis is a common ocular disease in the general population and an extra-intestinal manifestation in patients with IBD. It may be an adverse effect of anti-TNFα therapy in this patient population.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)836-840
Number of pages5
JournalIsrael Medical Association Journal
Volume25
Issue number12
StatePublished - Dec 2023

Keywords

  • adverse events
  • anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNFα)
  • blepharitis
  • inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

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